1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plate element, in particular made of steel, consisting of two parallel outer sheets which are connected firmly to one another by means of interposed web plates which are welded to the outer sheets.
2. The Prior Art
A plate element of the generic type described above is described in the European Patent 0,238,603. In the known plate element, there are web plates in the form of a corrugated plate, where the ridges of the corrugations are welded to the outer sheets. The manufacture of the known plate element is relatively complicated and expensive. It is almost impossible to manufacture a sheet-metal plate with a precisely uniform corrugation. When the plate element is being fitted together, slight pressure on the corrugation may cause a change in the ridge heights and thus in the distance between the outer sheets. The known plate element is constructed in a disadvantageous manner during its manufacturing process, i.e. the hollows of the corrugations are connected firstly from the inside by a weld extending right into the inner surface of a first outer sheet resting against them. The second outer sheet is then placed on the ridges of the corrugations, and a second weld is welded from the outside through the outer sheet, extending right into the ridges. Manufacturing the known plate element therefore requires individual process steps to be carried out successively. Any deviations occurring in each individual process step may cumulatively result in the manufacture of a plate element of little precision. Furthermore, the corrugations have the additional disadvantage that it will hardly be possible to make an opening in a finished plate element using cutting tools.